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Löw: "There were more pluses than minuses"

Six players made their Germany debuts in the 1-1 draw with Denmark last night. Joachim Löw had the chance to watch his new-look squad in action in the friendly in Copenhagen ahead of an important World Cup qualifier against San Marino on Saturday and the upcoming Confed Cup tournament in Russia. The head coach gave his thoughts on the performance of his young team after the match.

Question: Mr Löw, what’s your verdict on the 1-1 draw with Denmark?

Joachim Löw: It was a good test against an experienced and well-organised team. I was very happy with my team. They showed a lot of commitment. The players didn’t have any training or competitive rhythm.

Question: What wasn’t so good?

Löw: There were more plusses than minuses today. We shouldn’t have conceded the way we did, but the reaction was good. We didn’t get nervous and controlled the game. We possess individual quality. It surprised me how well we came back. The team worked well together, better than we had expected. We have a good platform on which we can build in the next few weeks.

Question: Jonas Hector had to come off just before the end. Do you have a diagnosis?

Löw: I haven’t heard any negative news. He had cramp. It’s not a muscular issue.

Question: Julian Draxler captained the side. Will he also wear the armband at the Confed Cup?

Löw: I said that if he plays, then he’s the captain. He could also be rested from time to time. In which case Shkodran Mustafi will replace him as captain.

Question: How would you rate Draxler’s performance?

Löw: He drove the team forward. He took responsibility and played well. He still needs to grow into this role a little bit. That’s a process which takes a long time. It’s a good experience for him.

Question: Six players made their debuts for Germany. How do you think they did?

Löw: The three players who came on all found their feet relatively quickly. They did well. Kevin Trapp made two or three saves. Sandro Wagner worked hard and always occupied two opponents. Lars Stindl played well in between the lines and made it hard for the Danes to pick him up.

Question: With a view to the squad for the Confed Cup: will someone be called up in place of Leroy Sané?

Löw: I’m assuming that all of the players are going to be fit to play. Timo Werner should be back with the team on Thursday after recovering from stomach pains.


Six players made their Germany debuts in the 1-1 draw with Denmark last night. Joachim Löw had the chance to watch his new-look squad in action in the friendly in Copenhagen ahead of an important World Cup qualifier against San Marino on Saturday and the upcoming Confed Cup tournament in Russia. The head coach gave his thoughts on the performance of his young team after the match.

Question: Mr Löw, what’s your verdict on the 1-1 draw with Denmark?

Joachim Löw: It was a good test against an experienced and well-organised team. I was very happy with my team. They showed a lot of commitment. The players didn’t have any training or competitive rhythm.

Question: What wasn’t so good?

Löw: There were more plusses than minuses today. We shouldn’t have conceded the way we did, but the reaction was good. We didn’t get nervous and controlled the game. We possess individual quality. It surprised me how well we came back. The team worked well together, better than we had expected. We have a good platform on which we can build in the next few weeks.

Question: Jonas Hector had to come off just before the end. Do you have a diagnosis?

Löw: I haven’t heard any negative news. He had cramp. It’s not a muscular issue.

Question: Julian Draxler captained the side. Will he also wear the armband at the Confed Cup?

Löw: I said that if he plays, then he’s the captain. He could also be rested from time to time. In which case Shkodran Mustafi will replace him as captain.

Question: How would you rate Draxler’s performance?

Löw: He drove the team forward. He took responsibility and played well. He still needs to grow into this role a little bit. That’s a process which takes a long time. It’s a good experience for him.

Question: Six players made their debuts for Germany. How do you think they did?

Löw: The three players who came on all found their feet relatively quickly. They did well. Kevin Trapp made two or three saves. Sandro Wagner worked hard and always occupied two opponents. Lars Stindl played well in between the lines and made it hard for the Danes to pick him up.

Question: With a view to the squad for the Confed Cup: will someone be called up in place of Leroy Sané?

Löw: I’m assuming that all of the players are going to be fit to play. Timo Werner should be back with the team on Thursday after recovering from stomach pains.